Antennas for the transmission and reception of radio frequency information are well known to those skilled in the art. Loop antennas, such as those used in portable radio receivers, are typically formed of a round wire or flat strip of conductive material.
The placement and retention of the loop antenna structure within a portable receiver's housing is critical. Even slight variations in antenna positioning within the housing can cause severe antenna performance degradation. All known methods to prevent an antenna structure from uncontrollably changing position within a housing have concentrated on using rigid (no spring characteristics) antenna members, physical restraints, or both. These methods add unnecessary weight to a product and complicate the assembly process.
Thus, what is needed is a loop antenna that automatically conforms to its surrounding mechanical environment to ease assembly and optimize antenna performance.